The present invention generally relates to a system and a method for accessing electronic program guide (hereinafter “EPG”) information and media content from multiple locations using mobile devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and a method for accessing EPG information and multimedia and/or media content from a database of a content provider via one or more terminals in one or more locations. Using location information, a first terminal may display a first EPG having a first list of media content or a second list of media content which may be accessed by the first terminal in a first location or a second location, respectively. A first user may access the first EPG via the first terminal to identify, to access, to receive and/or to consume a first multimedia file from the first list of media content or the second list of media content based on the first location or the second location, respectively. A second user may access a second EPG via a second terminal to identify, to access, to receive and/or to consume a second multimedia file from the first list of media content or the second list of media content based on a first location or a second location, respectively, of the second terminal.
It is generally known, for example, that a user displays, accesses, obtains and/or views an EPG via a terminal over a network. The EPG displays, identifies and/or provides a list in a text form or a graphical form of multimedia available and/or accessible from a content provider. The EPG has a set of displays and/or a set of screens which may be layered, may be composited and/or may be combined with the multimedia content itself. Typically, the content provider is, for example, a cable television or a satellite television station. Further, the terminal is, traditionally, a set-top receiver which is in communication with the content provider and/or is connected to an output means, such as, for example, a display, a television, a monitor and/or the like. As a result, the location of the terminal is stationary with respect to the content provider. The EPG provided by and/or available from the content provider corresponds to a fixed location of the terminal and does not include EPG information corresponding to more than one terminal location. Further, the EPG only displays and/or only identifies the list of multimedia which corresponds to the location of the terminal. As a result, the user is incapable of accessing, of identifying and/or of obtaining the EGP information about multimedia content available and/or accessible from the content provider in other locations remote with respect to the location of the terminal.
It is also known that EPG information about multimedia content from one or more content providers is displayed, is identified and/or is accessible via a website over a network, such as, for example, the internet via a personal computer connected to an output means. A user of the terminal may view, access and/or identify a list of multimedia offered by the content provider which corresponds to a location based on entering a zip code or address information into the website. As a result, the user may identify, may access and/or may view lists of multimedia available by and/or accessible from the content provider at more than one location via the website and/or the network.
However, the EPG which are accessible via a website over the network is a static list of media content that does not provide access to the media content itself. This is similar to traditional newspaper or magazine listings of media content. The user must first identify media content in the list of multimedia via the website and/or the network. Then, the user must relocate, identify and access the desired media content from another EPG associated with a viewing terminal and/or the output means, such as, for example, a television in order to consumer the multimedia content. The Internet EPG is not associated with, is not connected to and/or is not in communication with the EPG of the viewing terminal and/or the output means. Further, the EPG of the viewing terminal and/or the output means is only associated with, only corresponds to and/or is only based on a fixed location of the viewing terminal. The user is incapable of accessing, of receiving and/or of consuming the media content displayed in lists of multimedia offered in locations remote from the location of the viewing terminal. As a result, the user identifies the media content available from the content provider in locations remote with respect to the viewing terminal via the website without being capable of accessing, of viewing and/or of consuming that media content accessible in locations remote with respect to the viewing terminal.
Finally, it is known that a content provider may wish to restrict access to particular content from particular locations based on restriction factors. For example, a sports league may enter into business relationships with television stations which provide for a particular event to not be broadcasted live on television within a geographic area to encourage consumers to buy tickets and see the game in person. As a result, the multimedia content associated with the game may be simply removed from the EPG for users within the geographic area. A user of the EPG of the viewing terminal is incapable of identifying and/or determining, for example, that the multimedia content of the game has been removed from the EPG, why the multimedia content of the game was removed from the EPG, where the multimedia content of the game may be accessed and/or may be viewed and/or whether the multimedia of the game is available in another format, such as, for example, an audio broadcast on radio.
A need, therefore, exists for a system and a method for accessing EPG information and media content from multiple locations using mobile devices. The EPG and/or media content accessible may be based on the location of each mobile device. Further, a need exists for a system and a method for accessing EPG information and media content from multiple locations using mobile devices which changes the EPG information and/or multimedia content available based on a location of a viewing terminal and/or a user. Still further, a need exists for a system and a method for accessing EPG information and media content from multiple locations using mobile devices which provides metadata and/or information associated with an item of multimedia content based on a location of a viewing terminal and/or a user. Moreover, a need exists for a system and a method for accessing EPG information and media content from multiple locations using mobile devices which provides the EPG information to the user to display availability of multimedia content based on a location of and/or a format capability of a viewing terminal.